Take Away My Pain
by justcrazyobsessed
Summary: Rated R just in case- The Great War is over and Harry is gone. How can Hermione and Ron survive without their best friend? Will they let themselves sink into depression or can they help save each other?
1. Prologue

Summary: RW x HG... Harry died in the Great War, which, in my story, took place about two months ago, at the end of 6th. Year. Ron is lost in his own wallowing. Can Hermione save him?   
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Take Away My Pain  
  
Prologue  
  
The halls of the once great school felt empty as the Head Girl walked down them with tears staining her face. She felt cold and alone as she heard whispers from every which way. Kids were out of bed and it was her duty to catch them but she just didn't care. She skipped the rest of her patrol duty and headed back to the Gryffindor Tower.   
  
This brunette was none other than the Great Hermione Granger, the one who assisted Harry Potter in bringing down Lord Voldemort. But even though the Dark Lord was dead, she could not bring herself to smile at the thought because as he was dying, he brought down one of her best friends with him. They both died that night, Voldemort and Harry. They destroyed each other and no one really had won the war. It was odd though because after they killed each other, their bodies both disappeared never to be found again.   
  
She let a few more tears fall as she remembered what exactly had happened. The war had been fought on school grounds and last she had seen Ron was by the lake. He had been fighting against Goyle and Crabbe both at once. She would have stopped to help him but she had seen Harry following a shadow up to the highest tower. Though she didn't stop, she did manage to stupefy Goyle before she chased after Harry. After all, he was her boyfriend.  
  
Yes, Harry and Hermione had been going out before he died. In fact, they were in love. They were even engaged. Right before the war had started, he had proposed.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
They were sitting up in the Astronomy Tower. Her back was to his chest as she leaned against him. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her as close as possible. It was dark out, late at night. The stars sparkled in the sky.  
  
"I love you, Hermione," he whispered into her ear, kissing the top of her head.   
  
"Mmm..." she mumbled back, practically falling asleep. But she woke up when she felt something cold sliding onto a very important finger. "Harry, what's this?" she asked confusedly.  
  
"Like I said, I love you, Hermione," he repeated. "Please say you'll be mine for all the ages." She turned around and kissed him as passionately as she could.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
That had been the day before Voldemort attacked. The moment was forever imprinted in her memory just as the ring had become part of her. She would never take it off because it was a symbol. As long as she wore the ring, she had a part of him with her forever and always.   
  
She refused to move on. Several men had asked for her to be theirs since Harry had died but she refused. She loved one man and one man alone and this would never change.   
  
Ron too had been affected. He had become distant, didn't talk to anyone. He had not spoken to anyone, including his family and Hermione. She had thought that she would be able to lean on him for support but he was just as bad as she was if not worse. The pain struck him in the heart and he would never fully recover.  
  
Ron had loved Harry like a brother. They had practically grown up together. They shared everything with each other, everything. They told each other their fears, their dreams, their aspirations in life. They never kept secrets from each other. As the best of friends, they played Quidditch daily and now that Harry was gone, Ron had quit the team. Too much interaction with people that he didn't care about let alone want to talk to.  
  
Hermione's grades had fallen and she didn't understand why Dumbledore had even bothered making her Head Girl. She didn't deserve it anymore. All she wanted to do was crawl up in a hole and join Harry in the after life.  
  
Ron's grades too had begun to fall but the problem with that was that he was already receiving C's and D's. Now he was just failing. Hermione had tried to offer him help but soon gave up and that's when her grades fell too.  
  
School had just begun about a month or so ago but already the two were receiving warning notices saying that their grades needed much improvement. The worst part of it all was that they just didn't care. They had no intention of ever picking their grades back up so it didn't matter to them.   
  
The thing about these two was that they had nothing that kept them sane. They had nothing, not even each other. No friends, nothing. Even Dumbledore couldn't save them, try as he might. He had tried for so long to get them to open up but it was no use. He was afraid that if he couldn't save them soon, with their grades as low as they were, he would be forced to flunk them out of school  
  
Hermione went back to her bed and laid herself down. She reached under her pillow and took out the picture of her and Harry. He was holding her tight as he leaned in close to place a chaste kiss on her lips. She let the tears flow as she cried herself to sleep.  
  
A/N... This is just the beginning of a new story. Enjoy. If you like it, I'll write more. 


	2. Defying Gravity

Take Away My Pain  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Chapter 2: Defying Gravity   
  
Severus Snape watched as children filed in to his classroom. Gryffindors. His least favorite class. Why? Mainly because it was so damn depressing. The students of this house took the death of their classmate far too harshly in his opinion.   
  
He began his lecture on the Polyjuice Potion and soon grew tired of the silence. It appeared as though no one was paying attention so he decided to begin asking questions in order to make sure they were still with him.  
  
"What is the main ingredient needed in order to make the Polyjuice potion..." He looked around the room, trying to find an unsuspecting victim who he could catch off guard and smiled when he caught her. "Miss Granger?"  
  
"Hmm?" she replied, shaking her head as if to snap out of a daydream.  
  
"Please, enlighten us with an in depth description of the Polyjuice as you always do," he said dully as if he expected her to be the same as always. Classes had been going on for almost a month and he suspected that she would snap out of her daze soon enough.  
  
"Polyjuice?" she said as if she was unsure what he was talking about. "Yes it um... the polyjuice it... it's a difficult potion." That's all she had to say about it. She picked up her quill and began doodling on her parchment, ignoring the professors evil glares.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor for not paying attention!" he practically screamed. "Now, since Miss Granger is for once unable to answer a question, perhaps you, Mr. Weasley, can bail her out and win back the ten points."  
  
He was taunting the child. He knew Ron had gone mute but that's why he did it. He wanted to get to him, one of his least favorite students.   
  
As he expected, Ron said nothing. He didn't even pick his head up. "I see that without Mr. Potter here, the two of you have no one to whisper the answers to you." He knew it was a lie but the look on their faces was priceless.  
  
Hermione couldn't take it. She stood up and flung her quill at the man with an overly large sized nose. "How dare you insult the greatest wizard to ever live!" she raged. "You're the most vile creature that ever walked this earth and I hate you!" She ran out of the class and Snape just chuckled.  
  
"What?" he said looking at Ron. "No outbursts from you too?" Ron looked calm, impassive. He said nothing. His temper used to flail whenever someone would insult his friends but not now. Now it didn't matter. It was no use.  
  
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for disrespecting the professor. You can inform her of the consequences of her actions when you see her, Mr. Weasley."  
  
He went to his chalk board and continued with his lesson, ignoring the glares that all of the Gryffindor students were sending him.  
  
After Hermione's outburst, she had run to the only place she felt safe... the Astronomy Tower. There were no classes there that period so she had it all to herself. It had been her and Harry's special spot. She loved it so much.   
  
She sat there for hours contemplating how much she hated Snape. Why did he have to bring Harry up? Why? No one was that cruel. Only Snape. The five letter word that made her skin crawl... Snape.  
  
'The bastard probably took fifty points off for that!' she thought wryly to herself. But it didn't really matter to her. She didn't care about the House Cup. She didn't care about anything.   
  
When Snape had asked her about Polyjuice, her mind had gone blank. She remembered in the back of her mind that she had done the potion back in second year but she couldn't remember for the life of her what the Potion did and what the ingredients were.  
  
As she sat on the tower which was rumored to be the highest spot in all of the castle, she sat on the edge and looked down. 'It would be a far way to fall,' she thought with a smile, wondering if it would hurt when she hit the ground.  
  
Would anyone miss her? Would anyone notice if she was gone? Snape would. Without her there, who would he pick on?   
  
But besides the professors, did she have any real friends? Would the students notice? Would they care? She stood up and moved so that she was at the very edged of the ledge.   
  
'Here I go,' she thought. She picked up her right foot and then began tumbling through the air. She was going at speeds even she couldn't imagine. She was about fifty feet away from the ground when an image popped into her mind.  
  
Ron. What would Ron do without her? Granted he didn't talk to her but she still wanted to be there for him and suddenly she regretted jumping. So she stopped herself. It was a power she had picked up. No one knew about this power except for Ron. She was flying in the air. It was a power that Harry, Ron, and she had given themselves. She had created the potion right after fifth year. She wanted to be prepared for any and all circumstances that the Dark Lord would throw at them. You never knew. What if he threw you off a cliff?   
  
So as she was hovering in the air, she decided to go for a fly. Harry had gone up a number of times with her. They had gone up when it was night out and stars were shining bright.   
  
FLASHBACK  
  
They pushed off the ground with as much force as possible and soon found themselves defying gravity. Hand in hand, they flew to the top of the highest tree and sat down on one of its outstretched branches.  
  
"I think this should be our tree," Hermione said as she leaned against Harry, allowing him to wrap his arms around her.  
  
"What shall we call it?" he asked as he brushed a few of her stray hairs back behind her ear.  
  
"Hmm...let me think." She put on a pensive face and then decided. "I think we should call it Mona Lisa."  
  
"Isn't that a painting?" he asked with confusion.  
  
"Yes. Mona Lisa is a painting of a woman and no one can tell if she's happy or sad. That reminds me of this tree. It's so beautiful but it stands out so much, being so much taller than all the other trees. There's no other trees around it. Look. It's all shrubs and bushes. It must be so lonely but how can it be so lonely when it's so beautiful. That's why we should call it Mona Lisa."  
  
She tilted her head and looked up at him with a smile. "Whatever you say, love," he whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
That had been their first visit to Mona Lisa. They had gone many times afterwards and it easily became one of their most romantic spots, next to the Astronomy Tower of course.   
  
"Do you think I could fly to wherever you are, Harry?" she asked, looking up into the sky. It was then and there that she knew he was gone and so was she. He had taken her heart with him and there was no way of getting it back.  
  
Ron, after the Snape incident, went back to his room and fell onto his bed. He laid on his side and ignored Seamus and Nevilled whispering quietly from the other side of the room.   
  
"You go," Neville said.  
  
"No you!" Seamus whispered loudly, almost so loudly that it wasn't really a whisper anymore.  
  
"YOU!" Neville said aloud and with that, the young Irish boy approached the red head.  
  
"R...R...Ron... Errol just came with...with a letter from your mother." He placed it on the night stand next to Ron's bed and walked away. Neville and Seamus left the room together, afraid to be in the same room and him when he opened it up.  
  
As soon as he was sure they were gone, Ron opened up the letter.   
  
Dearest Ronald,  
  
We are very disappointed to hear that you are doing so poorly in school. Honestly, we expect more from you. I wanted to send a howler but your father insisted that you need not the embarrassment. Apparently he believes that with the traumatic experience you've been through, you needed a break. I agreed partially so I'm sending you this polite letter, begging you to start trying. Maybe you could ask Hermione to tutor you? It's just a thought.  
  
Have you begun to talk again? We're praying for you every day. Your father and I just want the best for you. Try to cheer up. Everything will cool off soon enough. You'll pull through.  
  
All our love,  
  
Mother and Father  
  
As soon as he was done reading it, he threw it in the trash can and put the garbage on fire. He wondered what the fire would feel like but couldn't bring himself to find out so instead, he went back to his spot on the bed and went to sleep, having nightmares all night long.  
  
A/N... Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I just want to point out that this is my first attempt at a Ron/Hermione romance. It hasn't started so far but I'm getting there, don't worry. Hope you liked the chapter and I can't wait to read all your great reviews. Thanks a bunch. 


	3. Seeing Things

Take Away My Pain   
  
Chapter 3: Seeing Things  
  
Hermione walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, ignoring the other students stares. They always stared at her. It was their favorite thing to do during meals. And so she ignored them, taking her seat next to Ron and muttering a "Good morning," to him even though she expected no response. All he did was pass the orange juice. Predictable.   
  
She poured some into her cup and took out her sketchpad finding nothing better to do with her time. Using a piece of charcoal, she began etching a drawing of her surroundings. The only thing she found worthy of drawing was the thing that looked most beautiful to her. Ron. She looked at his face and noted the things she would need to capture. His deep facial expression that looked as though he was trying to hide literally everything about him was going to be the hardest feature to express. His eyes told the story of a weary man who was in need of a lifetime of rest.  
  
She began sketching and looking over at him. As she kept her head down, she noticed a shadow hanging over her. Looking up, she saw Harry. "Good work," he said.  
  
She smiled warmly at him. "You're not real," she said in a voice that sent chills down her own spine. "You're only a figment of my imagination."  
  
He rubbed her shoulders gently and kissed her cheek lovingly, whispering, "You're wonderful," into her ear. "So what class do we have first?" he asked.  
  
"Double Potions with Slytherins," she said frowning, knowing that it was his least favorite class. He hated Slytherins... and who could blame him?   
  
She had almost begun to give in to the hallucination when Seamus' voice brought her back to Earth. "Hermione? Who are you talking to?"  
  
She shook her head and looked around again to see that Harry was gone. "No one, Seamus. Just day dreaming again, that's all."  
  
From out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ron looking at her with an even more depressed face than before.   
  
Now not only ignoring the stares from the other houses but from her own best friend as well, she got up and ran out of the hall with fresh tears falling down her pale cheeks. Would life ever be good again?  
  
As Ron watched her flee, he saw his own Harry sitting right next to him, eating a chocolate frog. "Look Ron, I got a Sirius Black!" he exclaimed, showing him a card of the man who had changed Harry's life. "I talked to him yesterday! It's so good to see him again! He said that when you come to visit, we can all play a round of Quidditch with he and my parents. They told me to tell you they say hi by the way."  
  
Ron laughed and was about to respond when he finally realized he too was hallucinating and so he stood up and left ignoring his sister shouting behind him, asking him what was wrong and where he was going.  
  
He walked past the library and saw a girl sitting at one of the back tables, her head bobbing up and down due to the fact that she was hysterically crying. Her brown hair was covering her face but he knew right away that it was Hermione. But he passed by anyway. He didn't say anything to her. He just kept going, knowing that eventually she would be all right again. Unlike himself.  
  
He left the school grounds, deciding that he would skip classes that day and go for a flight of his own. He took off and flew around the Quidditch Pitch. It was something he and Harry liked to do often, memorizing every turn they could possibly make. Harry had helped Ron become quite skilled at being the team Keeper but now without him, Ron felt as though he had lost all his abilities in Quidditch. Not only that. Now it meant nothing to him. He didn't love it any longer. He didn't want to win the House Cup. He didn't want to be named captain of the team. All he wanted to do was die and meet up with Harry behind Sirius' veil.  
  
His thoughts wandered to Hermione and how she was doing. It was obvious that she was having a tough time pulling through. Maybe even tougher than him. He figured she had had a hallucination this morning as well considering she was talking to no one.  
  
He flew over to the Keeper posts and took a seat on one of the rings. Wrapping his legs around the ring, he leaned backwards so he was hanging upside down. The blood was rushing to his brain and he felt an enormous adrenaline rush and for a moment, he considered letting his legs unlatch themselves but the thought of all the people who were 'praying' for him was too much for him to let go of. It was sad that they were so set on getting him better. He wasn't going to be better any time soon. He wasn't even going to bother trying.   
  
He sat up in his seat and when he looked at the smaller rings, he found his good friend sitting right next to him. "You've got to help her out, Ron," Harry said solemnly. "She NEEDS you! I left you to take care of her! You got the note I left!"  
  
And it was true. Ron had received a note from Harry. It appeared as though he had been prepared for his death. And so he had written three notes. One to Ron. One to Hermione. And One to Who it May Concern. Ron's note read:  
  
_**Dear Ron,  
  
If you're reading this than that means that I'm dead. Whether or not I took him down with me is irrelevant because if I am gone, than that leaves you in charge of watching out for Hermione. She's precious to me and I couldn't take it if anything were to happen to her. If I am gone, then it is your responsibility to make sure she doesn't blame herself. If I am gone, I give you my full permission to heal her pain in whatever way necessary (other than killing her of course.) And make sure that you don't take it too hard either. I won't be gone. Not really. I'll still live in your heart and you never know. Maybe one day we'll meet again... behind the veil.  
  
Now I want you to know that you're my brother. I'm not going to waste my time saying You're LIKE a brother to me 'cause you're not. You're my brother and I love you. Without you, I wouldn't have made it this far. Hey remember that time when we played that real game of wizards chess in order to find the sorcerers stone? And remember when we drove your dad's car, more like flew it actually, and then we crashed it into the Whomping Willow Tree? And don't forget about the D.A. and the headmaster from hell. Now that was an interesting year.   
  
What I'm trying to get at Ron is that I've faced all of these things with you by my side and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Thanks mate. For everything.  
  
Take care of yourself and Hermione.  
  
All my love,  
  
Harry James Potter  
**_  
But Ron had forgotten his orders and completely lost his mind. He wanted so badly to get it back but it was lost and gone forever. "WHY AREN'T YOU PROTECTING HER FROM THE PAIN SHE'S FEELING, RON?" Harry asked getting angrier by the second. "I LEFT HER HAPPINESS UP TO YOU!" Ron looked away, ashamed that he had ever made his best friend that angry with him. "Listen," Harry said calmly. "I know 'Mione. All you have to do is distract her. So take her mind off things. Use books, use flying, use anything. Just take her mind off of me!"  
  
And with that, Harry was gone. Flew away with the wind. Ron watched as he disappeared into the blue sky, his robes flying behind him, the last thing to fade away.  
  
A/N... I know. More depressing-ness but trust me. They'll get together soon. I promise. Just keep with me. I hope you liked this chapter and I thank you all for your lovely reviews from chapter 2.   
  
Thanks and I hope you review and tell me what you thought about this one too. I'm really excited to see how you liked it... or didn't like it depending on what you think. Tell me if you want something to be improved and I'll see how I can fix it. Thanks. 


	4. Blame Yourself

Take Away My Pain  
  
Chapter 4: Blame Yourself  
  
Sitting in the Forbidden Forest, Ron looked out viewing the school. It all seemed so...perfect. It appeared as though nothing bad could happen inside those walls. As long as you were there, you were safe. And hadn't that been his exact sentiments for so many years?   
  
Hogwarts was a safe haven for those who had nowhere else to call home...like Harry. Ron sighed with the thought of the place Harry had called home for so many years. Number four Privet Drive. Harry hated it there but when he was at Hogwarts, Privet Drive seemed to disappear out of existence. It didn't bother Harry once he was home, his real home, his only home. But now...it wasn't a home to anyone. It was a place filled with terrifying memories.   
  
But what was Ron really depressed over? Harry, yes, but there was something more. 'It should've been me,' he thought to himself. 'Hermione took her time to help ME before she chased after Harry. She could have helped him if I wasn't too weak to fight Crabbe and Goyle all by myself.'   
  
So that was it. Ron blamed himself. He wanted so badly to just rewind time and tell Hermione that he was okay and could handle them in order for her to go help Harry. But there was more to it. Hermione was another part of the puzzle all by herself. She caused a lot of confusion in Ron's mind.   
  
The problem was that Ron had been secretly in love with Hermione since second year, when she was petrified. When she began to go out with Harry, he felt like a knife had stabbed him in the heart and he would never be alright again. He didn't speak to Harry for a long time and it had been just before the war began, just that morning, that he and Harry had patched up their friendship.   
  
Ron kicked himself everyday for wasting time arguing over a girl. Their friendship meant more to him than that. But then again, it wasn't just ANY girl...it was Hermione. Hermione was his best friend, next to Harry. She was the girl of his dreams. He loved her for reasons no other could ever understand. He knew her in a way that no other man could, well except for Harry.   
  
He and Harry knew Hermione so well that it scared her sometimes. She was so predictable. Like when she got nervous, she bit her lip. And when she was scared, she lifted her head up as if snubbing her nose at people, in order to put on a façade of bravery and confidence. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth when she was annoyed. And she always rolled her eyes at Harry and Ron's lame excuses for not doing their homework. And when she was sad, she put on a fake smile, one that didn't show her teeth. She only smiled wide, exposing her teeth, when she was really happy.  
  
Ron loved Hermione and always would, but it wouldn't work now. He figured that she probably hated him, blaming him for the death of her fiancé. He and Hermione would never have their chance and it was all because Harry died... just another reason to be depressed and never speak again.  
  
Hermione walked around the school looking for a place to sit alone with her thoughts. That's all she ever did lately, sit and think. Finally, she took a seat in the Quidditch bleachers and laid down on the wooden bench. 'If only I had let Ron battle on his own... I had no faith in him...I should have just trusted his abilities...he could've handled it... Ron's just as good a fighter as Harry is...If I had just gotten there a few seconds earlier...it's all my fault...' Hermione's thoughts raced around in her head trying to get rid of them. She felt like if she just admitted them to herself, 'admitted' that it was her fault, then maybe she wouldn't have to think about it ever again.  
  
But that was not the case. Instead it just proved to make her feel even worse. She stood up and began to fly again, this time with no predetermined destination. She flew high in the sky, as high as she could. She stopped when she felt the lack of oxygen from being so high up. But then she continued, wanting to see just how far she could get before it knocked her out. And then she felt it... she couldn't breathe anymore and so she began to fall, spiraling downwards towards the ground.  
  
From where Ron sat in the Forbidden Forest, he saw a tiny black dot tumbling down towards the ground. He thought it was a bird at first but as it got lower, he noticed it was a person...Hermione. Not even thinking, he pushed off the ground and flew as fast as he could hoping that she would still be airborne by the time he got there.  
  
He caught her right before she hit the ground. Her brown hair was in front of her face, covering her features but Ron figured she was passed out from lack of air and so he laid her down on the flood and took out his wand. He muttered one of the spells Madame Pomfrey had taught him to use during the war to heal injured battlers. As soon as the spell left his lips, she sat upright, gasping in as much air as possible.  
  
She looked at him and didn't say anything for a long while. What's the use when he won't respond anyway? "Why?" she finally asked him. He wasn't sure exactly what she was asking but either way, it didn't matter. He wouldn't answer. But he performed a loving gesture that many would have thought he would have forgotten after being so closed off. He reached out and stroked her cheek, allowing her to rest her head in his palm. She covered his hand with her own and smiled weakly at him.  
  
But he didn't understand why she was being so kind to the man who was responsible for her fianc's death. So he stood up and walked away, ignoring her question. He loved her so much and couldn't bare to be around her, thinking he was the cause of all her pain. Why couldn't Harry just come back? He could make everything better just by smiling. Ron never had that effect on anyone. All he ever made people do was laugh.  
  
Hermione watched Ron retreat back to the castle and she sighed. As she stood, there was a hand reaching out to help her up. "Thank you," she said to the man as she reached for his hand, but she went right through it. "Oh hello, Harry," she said quietly. "I didn't think you'd return today."  
  
"You have to stop doing things like that," he scolded. "This is just silly. You and Ron are getting yourself so down and it's just plain dumb!"  
  
"DUMB? YOU'RE CALLING ME DUMB? WELL I NEVER!"  
  
"But it's true, sweetie! Why are you getting so depressed! You're FAILING SCHOOL!"  
  
"Don't you think I already know that?"  
  
"So why are you doing this then?"  
  
She began walking away from him but she knew he would follow. He was after all HER hallucination! "It's not like I WANT to be depressed, alright? It's just... how am I supposed to live without you? It's not even like I still have Ron...he's GONE! So how do I move on? I don't know how to live without you, Harry! I love you so much that it hurts!"  
  
He brushed a hand through her hair and smiled. "I know. And I love you just as much. But I'm gone...remember my letter now." And she did. She remembered every word.  
  
**_Dear Hermione,  
  
My love...if you are reading this, then I am no longer with you and we will never be together again, at least not in this life. I just want to tell you that I love you my sweet. You light up my life. Just seeing your smile makes me content.  
  
For once in my life, I know what it is to love and be loved...and it's all because of you Hermione Ann Granger. You took me in, made me feel whole, made me feel complete. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky. Why do you love me? I still don't understand it. But I know that it's mutual. The love I have for you cannot be measured. I don't know what I would have done all these years without you. You are my rock and you keep me grounded.  
  
I wish so much that I could be there with you right now, as you read this letter. I wish I could be there instead of my cheap words but this is how it was meant to be. But just remember that I love you and as long as you keep me in your heart, I'll be with you always.   
  
I want you to know that none of this is your fault. I knew what I was getting into when I went into the war and I knew the likelihood of me not coming out of it alive. So do me a favor and please don't blame yourself.   
  
One more thing before I go...Ron won't take this well. He's not good with his emotions. He'll probably bottle himself up and cut himself off from everyone. But you have to help me out! Don't let him do that! Don't let him screw his life up just because of me! I'm not important enough for him to flunk out of school. Besides, if you two fall into that kind of depression, then it would be like Voldemort won and I gave my life for nothing. So please do this for me, baby.   
  
You know I would be there if I could. I had so much planned for us. I had my vows already written out and everything. Actually, I wrote them about a month after we started going out.   
  
I, Harry James Potter, take you, Hermione Ann Granger, to be my lawfully wedded wife. Because I want to have you all to myself, and I want to hold you tight in my arms at night, whispering to you about how much we love one another. I'll be there even when you're sick. I want to be with you as husband and wife until the day the world ends. The day I stop loving you is the day when there is no more forever.   
  
That was it. I hope it brings a smile to your face. I love you, 'Mione. You were my first, my last, my everything.   
  
Love, Harry  
  
P.S. Remember what I said about Ron.  
_**  
And so she failed him and he was right. Voldemort did win and his death WAS pointless. There was no reason for him to die so why couldn't he just come back?   
  
But that wasn't the point. The point was that he asked her to do ONE simple thing in return for him saving her life and what did she do? She completely ignores his request and goes on sulking.  
  
But would she change anything now that she remembered his request?   
  
No. It was too much for her to deal with.  
  
A/N... Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate it. Can't wait to see what you think about this. 


	5. Warmth of Fire and Privacy of Darkness

Take Away My Pain  
  
Chapter 5: Warmth of Fire and Privacy of Darkness  
  
As Hermione returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, she noticed finally that it was dark outside, late at night, past curfew. The Fat Lady was already sleeping and she felt bad waking her up but it was insignificant at this point. As the Fat Lady jumped up awake, she squinted to gain her vision. "Child, shouldn't you be asleep?" she questioned with a yawn.  
  
"Please just let me in," Hermione begged.  
  
"You look terrible! Where have you been! Oh wait, you're the head girl, right? You must have been up patrolling! Sweetheart, it seems as though Head Duties are taking a toll on your sleeping patterns. Maybe you should talk to Professor McGonagall and..."  
  
"I don't mean to be rude but..."  
  
"A growing child needs so many of hours of sleep each night...otherwise they throw their entire schedule off..."  
  
"COULD YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME IN!" Hermione screamed in anger and extreme frustration.  
  
"Password?" the Fat Lady said with a hmph.  
  
"Sugarquills and dandelions," she whispered feeling a wave of exhaustion come upon her. "NOW can I get in? I'm really quite fatigued!"  
  
The door opened up to an empty Common Room, save one person. The crimson and gold colors of the room seemed to Hermione as though they were trying too hard to make it a cheerful place. She knew the common room would never be cheerful again, at least not for her. So bright colors only served to make her remember and it infuriated her.  
  
She found Ron sitting by the fire, just watching it burn. The flames flickered and gave him a shadowy appearance. He seemed to have been there for quite a few hours, having nothing better to do. He was clutching a wrinkled letter in his left hand and she caught a glimpse of the writing, Harry's handwriting. He had a firewhiskey in the other hand and the glass was 3/4 empty. His eyes reflected the flickering embers and she decided to make her presence known.  
  
"It's amazing how it seems so lovely, dancing and all," she commented numbly. "The fire appears so beautiful." She walked over to it and slowly placed her hand to hover above it feeling its stinging sensation. "But for something so beautiful, it burns like the very pits of hell."  
  
Ron said nothing just as she expected and she withdrew her hand from the fire. It was scarred now and burned badly but she couldn't feel it. It was nothing to her. She had done worse things to herself since Harry left. Self-mutilation took away the pain, at least temporarily. Never in a million years would she have thought that she would be cutting herself or burning herself but she did and it felt good. But she concealed the wounds, placing spells on them to make them go away. If anyone ever found out, they'd make her go to a shrink and she couldn't have that.  
  
The fire was the only thing that truly understood her. She loved to watch it dance in the fireplace, singing a song that only she could hear. "The fire can be your best friend and your worst enemy at the same time," she said in a whisper.  
  
"It can drive you mad," she continued while walking over to where he sat. Slowly, she lifted herself up onto the chair and sat down in a position that made Ron a little confused. She was straddling him.  
  
"Its dance taunts us, tempting us to come closer." She began to move her hips in a circular motion, grinding into him. Her skirt hiked up to her mid thigh and her creamy white legs were exposed.  
  
"Its burnt scent makes our senses crash and we begin to lose control." She leaned in closer so he could smell her scent. Though she used no perfume, she had a natural scent, smelling almost like a pure mixture of lust and passion. Sex.  
  
"Its touch is both cold and warm, confusing us beyond belief." She ran her hand along his cheek sending chills up and down his spine. Her hand traveled down his stomach landing an inch above his pants. She allowed her hand to go under his shirt and she reached up, running her fingers over his stomach.  
  
"The sound of it cackling makes us want to rip out our eardrums." She leaned in even closer and nibbled on his earlobe and he just sat there and did nothing. She was still grinding, making him a little TOO excited for whatever was to come next. She bit, licked and nibbled his ear, tugging it down every so often.  
  
"And eventually ," she continued, "We just want it to end, to die out so we can be rid of its taunting and teasing. But it just won't go away. You can't bring yourself to get rid of something so beautiful. And the taste it leaves in your mouth tells you that you'll be back the next day, watching it dance." Then, she brushed her lips gently against his leaving much to be desired.  
  
Seeing no reaction, she pushed off the chair and walked back to the fire. Once more, she stuck her hand in, holding it about a foot above the flames. She made a hissing noise and watched the fire die out.  
  
"But as much as I love the fire," she continued, "I love the darkness even more. You see... the darkness hides us whereas the fire exposes us. The darkness envelopes our every emotion, holding it in. The fire draws it out of us, making us get rid of it, sending new emotions through us. Fear. Hate. Passion." She looked down at her hand and said a quick healing charm.  
  
Slowly, she turned to head up to her room only reaching the first step before a cold hand stopped her. "Does it hurt?" She turned to see Ron's face looking scared and afraid. She didn't know exactly what he was asking but it didn't really matter as he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. His lips lingered on the surface of her hand as if he was trying to find the scars from the burns, as if he was expecting the surface to be rough and calloused.  
  
"Only when I sleep," she responded, glad that he was talking again. Though her pain was unbearable, she had been praying for Ron every day, afraid that he would bring himself so far down that he would eventually fall into shadow. Now, they both held the others hand in theirs, never wanting to let go. Neither one was smiling but it was a start.  
  
Minerva McGongall walked in to the common room looking for the head girl. She had shirked her duties that evening and she needed to know why. When she walked in, she found who she was looking for but she also found a sight that brought tears to her eyes. It was Hermione and Ron and they were holding hands. She feared for the students after the disappearance of their friend. They had completely ignored their studies and barely spoke to anyone. She had almost begun to wonder if Ron had gone completely mute but it appeared as though they would be all right now, with each other to pull them through.  
  
She quickly left for them to work it out on their own. Any disturbances may mess things up, causing them to start back at square one and no one wanted that.  
  
Ron knew that Hermione had created a problem earlier and he needed it to be fixed. He wanted Hermione so badly, always had and always would. He knew it was probable that he was just the rebound man but did that matter to him? Not really. As long as he had her, felt her, touched her.  
  
He ran his hand over her cheek feeling a cold glow coming from her. "Be my angel tonight? Make me feel the fire?"  
  
She put her hand on his cheek and whispered ever so softly into his ear, "Tonight we save each other."  
  
**A/N...I know it's been a while and it's a short chapter but I had a lot of complications with my computer and I know there's no excuse but I hope the chapter was worth the wait. The story will be ending soon b/c right after I updated the fourth chapter I realized that the whole story should have been a one shot but I'll probably wind up ending it at chapter 6 or 7. Hope you enjoyed.**


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